Daily News Summary

An electronic digest of media coverage of interest to members of The Florida Bar compiled each workday by the Public Information and Bar Services Department. Electronic links are only active in today's edition. For information on previous articles, please contact the publishing newspaper directly.

THE 2013 FLORIDA BAR PRESIDENT'S PRO BONO SERVICE AWARDS-- The Florida Bar, http://www.floridabar.org, Jan. 29, 2013.Each year, the Florida Supreme Court and The Florida Bar give special recognition to lawyers, groups and a member of the judiciary who have freely given their time and expertise in making legal services available to the poor. This year 22 lawyers, a young lawyer, a judge, a voluntary bar association and a law firm will receive the legal profession's gratitude and honor for their pro bono service at a special ceremony at the Supreme Court of Florida on Thursday [Jan. 31]. The Tobias Simon Pro Bono Award, the legal profession's highest pro bono honor bestowed by the Florida Supreme Court chief justice, will be the final award celebrated.

ORR TO LEAD THE FLORIDA BAR YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION IN 2014 -- Jacksonville Daily Record, http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com, Jan. 29, 2013.Jacksonville attorney Michael Orr was elected by The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors on Jan. 18 to serve as president-elect in 2013 and as president in 2014. Orr will be sworn in as president-elect by Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Ricky Polston at the Bar's General Assembly meeting June 28 in Boca Raton.

FLORIDA SUPREME COURT TO RECOGNIZE PRO BONO EFFORTS -- Daily Business Review (requires subscription), http://www.dailybusinessreview.com, Jan. 29, 2013.A Miami litigation associate at Hughes Hubbard & Reed is the recipient of this year's Florida Bar Pro Bono Service Award in the Young Lawyers Division. Rebecca Lauren Sosa, 29, who transferred last March to the firm's Miami office, will receive her award at a ceremony Thursday [Jan. 31] at the Florida Supreme Court. Twenty-two other lawyers across the state will be honored, including Maxine Master Long, a shareholder at Shutts & Bowen in Miami; Steven Wayne Marcus, a shareholder at Fowler White Boggs in Fort Lauderdale and Bridget Ann Berry, a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig in West Palm Beach.

-Legal Profession--

JALA IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY HONORS PRO BONO ATTORNEYS -- Jacksonville Daily Record, http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com, Jan. 29, 2013.Each year, the St. Johns County Office of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid recognizes attorneys who contributed 100 or more hours of pro bono legal service during the previous year. For 2012, these attorneys were honored at a reception at the Markland House on the campus of Flagler College.

PANAMA CITY SEEKING NEW ATTORNEY -- Panama City News Herald, http://www.newsherald.com, Jan. 29, 2013.Panama City commissioners discussed their criteria and the selection process for a city attorney for the first time in 40 years on Monday. Rowlett Bryant is retiring after 41 years as city attorney. Panama City has not gone through the process of hiring an attorney since 1972. Commissioners determined what they were looking for in a new city attorney and the city manager’s office will put out a request for proposals on Wednesday [Jan. 30].

--Judiciary--

HARB IS CHOSEN AS NEW CIRCUIT JUDGE; APPOINTED BY GOV. SCOTT MONDAY -- Lakeland Ledger, http://www.theledger.com, Jan. 29, 2013.Jalal Harb, a veteran prosecutor working for State Attorney Jerry Hill in Bartow, was appointed to the 10th Judicial Circuit bench by Gov. Rick Scott on Monday [Jan. 28]. Harb, 56, was one of three candidates recommended to Scott by the 10th Circuit Judicial Nominating Committee. The governor then interviewed each candidate before making his decision to appoint Harb, who will fill the vacancy created by the death late last year of Circuit Judge Karla Wright. He has served as an assistant state attorney in the 13th Circuit in Tampa and in the 10th Circuit in Bartow, and has more than 24 years experience as a prosecutor.

COMPLAINT TO SEEK PROBE OF ORANGE TEXTING -- Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com, Jan. 29, 2013.Former state House candidate Sean Ashby said he's going to file a complaint with the state attorney Tuesday [Jan. 29] seeking an investigation into the Orange County leaders involved in the textgate scandal. Several Orange County leaders deleted text messages from their cellphones during a Sept. 11 hearing on a sick-time ballot measure. Some texts were later recovered, but some officials say they've lost those and other messages from their personal phones that could be public records if they discussed official business.